AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry today officially set the special election to fill the unexpired term of U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay to coincide with the general election on Nov. 7.

Candidates wishing to run in the special election must file by 5 p.m. Sept. 1 with the Texas Secretary of State to appear on the ballot.

Shortly after DeLay announced in April that he was resigning from Congress, Perry said he would not schedule a special election to fill the vacancy before the general election. Today, he issued the official order setting the date.

The winner of the special election will serve DeLay's district in Congress from the day the election results are certified until a new Congress begins in January.

Lampson and Sekula-Gibbs both have said they'll run in the special election, even though the prize is less than two months in the House.

"This district has been without a congressmen for far too long,'' said Mike Malaise, Lampson's campaign manager. "This should have happened back in May. It's not just a matter of sitting up in Washington and taking votes. It is a full-service operation.

Federal courts ruled that the Texas GOP could not replace DeLay on the ballot because he resigned from Congress after winning the primary nomination.

Perry also set Nov. 7 special elections to fill the unexpired terms of state Rep. Vilma Luna, D-Corpus Christi, and Sen. Frank Madla, D-San Antonio. The winners of those elections will serve until a new Legislature is convened in January.